Written by
Mary Gonzalez, Director of Brand & Content
Published on
July 1, 2025
Updated on
July 3, 2025
At the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, Apple introduced their upcoming iOS 26 update, previewing a redesigned interface and notable new call screening feature, currently in beta, that builds on the long-standing Silence Unknown Calls setting introduced in 2019 with iOS 13.
While this update could improve the consumer call experience with added user interactions, it also signals a future shift towards more filtered, user-controlled voice interactions at the device level. Scheduled for general release this fall, instead of sending unknown, anonymous phone numbers straight to voicemail, iOS 26 would give calls a shot to ring through via a brief call screening interaction.
With this new release, not everything is changing, and not everything is outside of your control when it comes to your call delivery.
Where a call might have been completely silenced and missed before, it now has a second chance at getting the user’s attention through a short message and caller ID info. According to Apple,
“Call Screening builds on Live Voicemail and helps eliminate interruptions by gathering information from the caller and giving users the details they need to decide if they want to pick up or ignore the call. [...] Call Screening automatically answers unknown callers [...] If the call is deemed legitimate, it’s passed through and the phone rings.”
For iPhone users who choose to enable it (Figure 1), this proposed call screening feature would automatically take over the answering of unsaved phone numbers, answering silently and screening the caller before you’re interrupted.
The caller is prompted to “record [their] name and reason for calling” to “see if this person is available” (Figure 2). A transcript of the response is then shown to the call recipient (Figure 3), who can decide to accept or decline the call. This prompt is spoken to the caller via Siri but appears on-screen to the recipient like a text thread.
This proposed feature is entirely device-based and seems to rely on device data, activating when the incoming number is not saved in the recipient’s contact list and presenting it as an “Unknown Sender” (Figure 4). It would seem that caller ID information would still display as it normally would, including associated CNAM, branded calling elements if supported, and potentially even spam labels.
This beta update is still subject to change based on developer feedback, but its introduction does reinforce the importance of maintaining healthy number reputation to protect your calls.
If your phone number isn’t already saved in the recipient’s contact list (and most business numbers aren’t), your calls are more likely to be screened when this feature is enabled. The update doesn’t override or replace your existing caller ID name, and it won’t automatically silence your calls—but it does introduce a new layer of user interaction.
Call screening gives recipients a second chance to look at their screen and decide whether to answer the call—without having to engage with it directly. That makes it more important than ever that what is presented on the screen—your phone number (ideally free of spam labeling) or caller name—is accurate, trustworthy, and relevant. In other words, if your call data isn’t clear or correct, you’ve already lost the opportunity.
Here’s what is still in your control:
With the move towards trust signaling on the rise, it’s important to ensure your brand and your calls can be trusted by algorithms and consumers alike so that your business and your answer rates won’t suffer.
If your business relies on voice communications, trust must come first. The beta iOS 26 update reminds us that enterprises must continue to actively manage how their numbers are perceived across all delivery networks to ensure visibility, trust, and consistent delivery. This is not a reason to worry—it’s a reason to stay ready.
Numeracle’s Number Reputation Management solution helps prevent your calls from being mislabeled or blocked by enabling ongoing protection, cross-network remediation, and proactive number registration through direct relationships with carriers, analytics providers.
Reach out to us today to learn about protecting your number reputation and how to stay visible, verified, and trusted.
Unlike Google’s dynamic assistant, Apple’s version is intentionally lightweight, without follow-up questions or AI decision-making; it’s a first test of intent. How successful it will be at filtering out robocalls, scam calls, or calls from unverified numbers is still unclear.
This feature represents a clear move toward default call protection on devices, but it could also introduce new friction for legitimate, first-time callers, like your doctor’s office, insurance agent, or your bank calling from an unfamiliar or unsaved phone number.
What’s more, there doesn’t seem to be any verification around what the caller answers. Could callers submit false information when prompted just to get their calls through? If no further verification is involved, what does this mean for scammers trying to manipulate the system—and what new methods of manipulation might emerge once the feature is publicly released? Can consumers trust the information they see?
These are open questions that remain unanswered as the feature evolves in beta, testing to see if more guardrails are needed after opening the door to both more control and potential new risks for businesses and consumers. For now, this is a reminder that every advancement in call screening technology opens new possibilities—not just for better call control, but also for potential misuse.
Apple is reinforcing the same standards already required by the telecom ecosystem by asking for more identity information at the time of a call.
Apple’s move isn’t surprising.
Consumers are demanding more control and protection from scams, and platforms are responding by relying more heavily on reputation signals to determine which calls get through, and this is just the latest layer of call screening. iOS 26 reflects a broader industry shift: call trust is no longer assumed—it must be earned, and caller reputation is the first barrier between your call and your customer.
With Apple leading the shift at the device level, carrier filters and analytics platforms are likely to follow, placing consistent pressure on enterprise outreach practices. As more information becomes available, we’ll continue to analyze how it fits into the broader call delivery ecosystem.
Phone numbers are often flagged as spam due to a combination of calling behaviors, the number's history, and recipient feedback. High call volumes, particularly from a single number, short call durations with frequent hang-ups, and low answer rates signal potential unwanted activity to carriers and spam detection algorithms. Repetitive dialing of the same numbers and calling outside typical business hours can also contribute to spam labeling.
Furthermore, if a phone number has been used for spam or scam calls in the past, that negative history can stick with the number, impacting its reputation even for legitimate new users. Crucially, when recipients manually mark a number as spam on their devices or through third-party applications, this feedback is widely shared and significantly impacts a number's reputation.
Technical issues, such as problems with STIR/SHAKEN authentication or inaccurate caller ID information, can also lead to spam flags. Finally, using outdated or unconsented calling lists increases the likelihood of recipients marking calls as spam. Ultimately, a number's spam status is a dynamic assessment based on calling patterns, historical use, technical validity, and direct user feedback, a challenge that services like Numeracle’s Number Reputation Management solution address through monitoring and remediation.
Your number likely keeps showing as spam due to calling patterns that resemble unwanted solicitations. High call volumes, short call durations, low answer rates, and the use of automated dialing or pre-recorded messages are common triggers for spam detection by carriers and spam-blocking services. Negative reports from recipients, outdated caller ID information, or your number being on spam blacklists also contribute.
To fix this, ensure you comply with calling regulations, improve calling practices by focusing on engaged contacts and allowing longer calls, register your numbers with reputation services, implement caller ID verification like STIR/SHAKEN, and monitor your number's status. Solutions like those offered by Numeracle, which focus on caller ID authentication and reputation management, are crucial for businesses to establish trust and avoid these spam flags.
There are several avenues you can explore. Firstly, you can directly engage with the analytics providers and call-blocking app developers that are often the source of these labels, though this can be a time-consuming and complex process requiring specific knowledge of their individual procedures. Secondly, many carriers offer resources and sometimes specific departments to address spam concerns related to their network.
Finally, specialized reputation management providers, like Numeracle, offer comprehensive services designed to monitor your number reputation, identify the sources of negative labeling, and execute remediation processes on your behalf, leveraging our expertise and established relationships within the industry to efficiently resolve these issues and restore your calling deliverability.
For truly effective phone number reputation management, Numeracle is the leading and most complete solution available. Unlike basic tools that just tell you if you're flagged as spam, Numeracle actively fixes those problems by working directly with all the major phone companies and spam detection services. This ensures your calls get through with a trusted identity.
Numeracle gives you clear, on-demand information about your numbers and provides a team of experts who can quickly fix any issues – often in just a day and a half. We handle complex relationships with phone carriers for you. We help you register your numbers correctly, constantly monitor their status, quickly fix any bad labels, and even let you add your brand to your outgoing calls. This not only keeps your numbers from being flagged but also helps people trust and answer your calls more often. Many businesses trust Numeracle to protect their numbers, and they have a very high success rate in keeping numbers label-free.
